HalfBike Is A Complete Solution To Half A Commute

posted by Micah Redfield - March 24, 2014 - 8pm EDT

Does public transportation only cover half your commute? Do you have to walk the rest of the way? Wouldn’t riding a bicycle make sense if it were only half its size? Wouldn’t a folding bike work if it were only half its portly weight? How about splitting the difference and riding a HalfBike? What the deuce is a HalfBike? Read on…

Dreamers and inventors at Kolelinia decided to do away with the saddle, and nix the handlebar too — deeming them unnecessary for the targeted commutes of three or less miles. The ideal HalfBike rider is the office jockey who finds him/herself walking a substantial distance on both ends of the daily commute — sure public transport is greener than your car, but those dozen blocks add up when you’re rocking business attire.

The laser cut, hand-welded, aluminum frame utilizes a MBS mountainboarding (remember that sport?) rear truck. Via this reverse-tadpole configuration the HalfBike is able to carve through turns simply by the rider’s shift of weight.

The control-stick is essentially that — an impregnated plywood stick. This outside-the-box design goes a long way in keep the HalfBike’s weight to an attractive 17lbs. In the end you really have to see it to believe it — watch the above video as co-founders Martin Angelov and Mihail Klenov race around the track on their HalfBikes.

HalfBike’s one-size-fits-most is a plausible assertion. Riders ranging from 5′ 2” to 6′ 4” (157-193 cm) and weighing up to 220-230 pounds (100-105 kg) are said to be fully comfortable in piloting a HalfBike. The only potential downside: steeper hills — if you live in San Fransisco, this bike it not likely for you.

Yes, this is another Kickstarter campaign (oh, the brilliance of crowd-sourcing) fundraising till April 14th for anticipated September delivery. A HalfBike can be yours for $899.

Comments

Every time I think I have seen all the stupidity that it is possible to create, along comes something new.

DaveO - 03/24/14 - 8:10pm

I can buy a wholebike for that much.

Padrote - 03/24/14 - 8:17pm

I feel like I could make that in about a weekend, but why would I do that

alfa - 03/24/14 - 8:18pm

duncan: agreed. so half the weight is now 17 lbs? And the cranks are too long to be useful for half a mile, much less 3 miles in ‘business’ clothing the creators think they want to aim this at. Interesting? Yes. Useful for anything but playing around, much less for a short commute? Hell naw. Don’t even get me started on the cost for what seems like an oversized Big Wheel without a seat…

yogibimbi - 03/24/14 - 8:22pm

17 lbs? That’s about the weight of a Tern X10. And the price is not that much different, plus I get two wheels and the ability (supposing adequate physical condition) to go uphill. Kudos for thinking outside of the box, but so far this doesn’t look more like a gimmick to me.

alfa - 03/24/14 - 8:25pm

*deep breath*

hahahahahahahaha

(sorry)

There’s no freaking way you could get someone in business casual clothing to ride this thing. There’s no seat so you’re already using too much energy, and 17 lbs is ‘half the weight’ now? Really?

Good luck guys, you’re aiming for the wrong market with these stand-up, no-seat Big Wheels.

Hard to get over the negativity. A bicycle is a really crappy way to start and end a journey on public transportation and not even practical during peaks on our DC area subway. To me this looks like a great alternative. If you don’t see the need, why not do us all a favor and just stay out of the discussion. Of course it isn’t a substitute for a bike. It’s not intended to be.

emily - 03/24/14 - 9:10pm

it’s all fun and games until. small crack in pavement. FACEplant!! hhaahhaahhahaha

scentofreason - 03/24/14 - 9:16pm

$900 bones buys a very nice skateboard (or twelve). Also buys a nice bike… Nice try, but needs to cost $300 or less…

Mike - 03/24/14 - 9:41pm

A <$200 big wheel folding scooter like a xootr would fit this need, weigh half as much and fold down smaller.

If you want to arrive all sweaty, this is the perfect solution. Ridden standing up, wearing a suit, lately? If so, you know what I mean.

PsiSquared - 03/24/14 - 11:47pm

This looks like it would take up at least as much space as a folded bike on a bus or train, and given that it will appear to have less mechanical advantage than a geared folding bike and will cost at least as much, what’s the upside for commuting?

I’d also wager that 3 miles pedaling standing up will leave a person a bit more sweaty than 3 miles pedaling while sitting down.

missinglink - 03/24/14 - 11:49pm

900 bucks to get to work looking like you’re holding your junk. lol. no thanks.

Broken - 03/24/14 - 11:56pm

Soo…I had neck and low back surgery (former 4:22 mile runner and 7th at Tour of Tucson Mountains and 2nd A.G. At Pacific Grove Triathlon-1st set the course record), and I just want to get off the erect indoor elliptical or stair stepper. I want to ride ANY dam bike, but a neon yellow recumbent, I would try this, a different set of bars and rear wheels.
, and at the $250-$350 level, I am in. (L4-L5 decompression & C5-C6 disc replacement)

Mindless - 03/24/14 - 11:59pm

What The Foxtrot?

ken - 03/25/14 - 12:25am

in that last picture i see pedal strikes coming

AZBikeFreak - 03/25/14 - 1:04am

17 lbs. and $900 for this thing! Rediculous. It should cost no more than $300 and weight 10 lbs max.

Brad - 03/25/14 - 1:06am

Just learn to ride a unicycle! It’s smaller, cheaper, and is way cooler (in comparison).

dan - 03/25/14 - 3:24am

This looks really awkward and ugly.

carbonfodder - 03/25/14 - 7:44am

I’d walk.

uglyyeti - 03/25/14 - 7:58am

I really don’t see the advantage over walking/running. Every advantage it claims over a bicycle it loses to feet.

The Segway is a similar beast. It doesn’t replace cars or bikes, it replaces walking – it’s an upright mobility scooter. At best, this thing is a devolution of the Segway.

CT - 03/25/14 - 8:35am

Think lululemon yoga pants, suddenly it all make sense 😉

Studebaker Hoch - 03/25/14 - 9:16am

I think I’ll walk. My track bike only weighs 19 lbs.

Steve C. - 03/25/14 - 9:38am

Why must every Kickstarter campaign looking to raise money for an idiotic idea have the same kind of dramatic “inspirational film trailer” music behind it? This thing really looks ridiculous and unsafe. I’m wondering how they intend for it to be ridden, i.e. on the road or on the sidewalk? Since many state laws include in their definitions of bicycles that they have seats astride which a rider sits, I doubt this thing could (strictly) legally be operated in the road as a “vehicle.” It looks too quick and unwieldy for the sidewalk, however, and like uglyyeti said, it really doesn’t do any better than walking in that regard.

By the way, Mike Hare, to tell people to “stay out of the discussion” if they don’t see the need for this silly device, is akin to simply saying, “if you don’t agree with me, then shut up.” It’s hardly a discussion without allowing for differing perspectives and opinions, methinks.

Dan E - 03/25/14 - 9:55am

Not real architects. Can’t be. Real architects design/build for people. Notice that they’re from Amsterdam. It won’t even work there, and there are much, much better options there. This is (at best) something to display. If it was truly easy to ride, then the hoodied duo wouldn’t be bobbing their shoulders even during the soft-pedal on the track. How quick does it stop? How complicated would it have been to add another angle to support a seat and even a narrow T-bar handlebar to aid balance and control? Add those two things, and then you have some buyers. Oh, wait, those already exist so all you can be is different, not better.

Kark - 03/25/14 - 10:05am

@ CT.
Yours is the only valid point in favour of this silly little horror-show.

Hey, Mike Hare. pull the seat and handlebars off a bike, grab hold of the stem and ride around for a couple miles.
then ask for money to develop and market that sooper-awesome experience.

Not sure why I’d buy something like this when I could just get a folding bike and ditch the too long seatpost and saddle…

plebs - 03/25/14 - 1:04pm

I think I’ll walk. Honestly.

mudrock - 03/25/14 - 1:14pm

This thing has potential, but they don’t do it any favors riding it on a track in the video. Show a commuter using it to the subway, boarding with the thing, then the 6 blocks to the office. The people who post on this site have no imagination..

Sean - 03/25/14 - 2:23pm

This is a marketing failure.

Could be a novelty at trade shows and festivals, but I don’t think folks who need “less” of a whole bike for that < 3 miles are going to pay "full" bike price.

I see office commuters carrying folding scooters on buses – those are < $100.
A cycling enthusiast wants more than this.

Pete - 03/25/14 - 7:49pm

at least it’s not another self-powered vehicle that makes its way onto this site…having said that, alot of rather astute comments have been uttered, the best of which was this appeared to be “posted 8 days early”

James - 06/17/15 - 7:24pm

Wonder what all the naysayers are saying now that the halfbike II raised almost $1M USD?

I'm55 - 07/17/15 - 11:08pm

And I think this is soooo cool. And I want one

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